This disclosure relates to semiconductor devices that include a fuse and, more particularly, to semiconductor devices that include an electrical fuse.
Semiconductor memory devices (chips) that are formed on a semiconductor substrate are electrically tested prior to assembly. As a result of this testing, the semiconductor chips are classified as being either defective or non-defective. When a chip is classified as being defective because it has at least one defective cell, the defective cell(s) may be replaced with redundant cells using a repair process. In order to repair a defective cell, predetermined fuses are blown, i.e., programmed, such that the redundant cell has the address of the defective cell. By applying a voltage to both ends of a fuse that is used in the repair process, a resistance across the fuse may be sensed to determine whether the fuse has been blown. The fuses that may be used in such repair processes include laser fuses that are blown using a laser and electrical fuses that are blown by applying a voltage across the fuse.